How many players are in a sepak takraw team?
I · Intermediate · The game · 1 of 3A side on court is three players, called a regu. One, the tekong, plays at the back and serves. The other two are the left inside and right inside players, near the net. In a regu event a side may have two reserves. In a team event, three regus from each team play one after another.
How it works
- Regu: three players on court.
- Tekong: the player at the back, who serves.
- Left inside and right inside: the two players in front.
- Regu event: three to five registered players, that is one regu and up to two reserves.
- Team event: three regus, with nine to twelve players in all.
- Reserve pool in a team event: up to three players, who may be used only as substitutes.
- One regu only: in a team match a player may play for one regu.
- Short-handed: a regu with fewer than three players, or a team with fewer than nine, may not start and is disqualified.
- Captain: wears an armband on the left upper arm.
- Attire: jersey, shorts, socks and rubber-soled sports shoes without heels. Jerseys are numbered from 1 to 36.
The glossary has the regu, the tekong, the inside players, the reserve player, the regu captain and the attire.
Tricky cases
In a team event, can the best player play in two of the three regus?
No. Each player is permitted to play for only one regu in a team match.
A regu event side arrives with two fit players. Can it play short?
No. A regu with fewer than three players is not permitted to play and is disqualified.
In a knockout team tie, one team wins the first two regus. Is the third played?
No. In a knockout system the third regu need not be played once a winner is decided. In a league system it must be.
Do the three players have to stay in their positions during a rally?
No. Once the tekong has kicked the service, all players may move freely in their own court.
Why the rule exists
Three is the fewest players who can serve, set and spike as separate jobs, and it leaves so much court open that every touch matters. The team event multiplies that by three, so a country needs depth and not only one outstanding trio.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Regu event | One regu of three, plus up to two reserves | ISTAF Law 5.5; 7.4 |
| Team event | Three regus; nine to twelve players; up to three reserves | ISTAF Law 5.4; 7.5 |
| Team event, knockout | Third regu not played if the tie is decided | ISTAF Law 10.14 |
| Team event, league | Third regu always played | ISTAF Law 10.15 |
| Doubles and quad events | Their own laws | Not saved |
From the rule book
International Sepaktakraw Federation, Law of the Game 2024 (regu event, 1 January 2024), the Glossary and Laws 5, 6, 7 and 10. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the federation's Law of the Game (regu).